


Second Dances

by aquileaofthelonelymountain



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Bylaude, Claudeleth, Claudeth, F!Byleth, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Traditions, claudleth week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22053151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquileaofthelonelymountain/pseuds/aquileaofthelonelymountain
Summary: “I’ve never danced before, not a single step in my whole life.” Byleth shook her head in amusement. “It feels as if I had to make up for all the years of not dancing, and that in one single night! I think I danced with every student from every house.”Claude’s grin broadened. “Consider yourself lucky that we’re only allowed one dance with each person. Although …” He took a quick step forward, suddenly standing right in front of Byleth. With a wink, he asked: “How about breaking the rules?”It becomes some kind of tradition: During feasts at Garreg Mach, Byleth and Claude meet at the Goddess Tower for a dance ...
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 14
Kudos: 171





	Second Dances

**Author's Note:**

> It's already the last day of December, but I still managed to post a fic for Claudlethweek and the monthly prompt "traditions" ;)
> 
> This is actually the first Claude x Byleth fic I started to write - not the first I finished and posted, though, and definitely not the last one I will post ;)
> 
> Enjoy!!

Byleth had left the ballroom, but the music followed her.

The faint melody, mixed with distant chatter and laughter, could be heard throughout the whole monastery. Sometimes, when the soft breeze made the leaves rustle, it was almost drowned. It was never a permanent loss, however, and as Byleth stood in the Goddess Tower the clear melody of a waltz hung in the night sky. The breeze was a bit stronger up here, and she closed her eyes to savour the cool air on her heated face. It was a little blessing, especially after all the time she had spent in the crammed ballroom.

“Hey, Teach! So you couldn’t bear the ball anymore and had to escape as well?”

Without opening her eyes yet, she smiled to herself. The students weren’t supposed to come to the Goddess Tower – actually, it was forbidden to enter it. She shouldn’t be surprised to meet him of all people. There were no prohibitions for Claude von Riegan, only challenges.

Byleth turned towards the window where he stood, his arms resting on the windowsill and his gaze drawn up to the stars.

“I wouldn’t call it an escape. I just needed a break.”

“There’s no shame in admitting that you’re not comfortable in a noisy crowd. I feel just the same.”

“That’s difficult to imagine.”

Claude turned away from the window. “I’m serious, Teach. I like some music and fun, but those nobles with their goofy dances? Spare me!” He rolled his eyes in annoyance, but Byleth saw right through the gesture.

She had spent the last hours dancing with countless students, one of those “goofy dances” after the other until she was left breathless. It had been Claude, however, who had started everything. Byleth had just stood in a corner of the ballroom and had watched the couples on the dancefloor, how they had floated seemingly effortlessly around each other as if treading on clouds … She had not felt the desire to join their merry-making, though. The dancefloor was no place for a mercenary.

But then Claude had approached her to take her hand and join the dancers. Without him, she might still stand in a quiet corner, merely watching.

“You certainly know your way around those ‘goofy dances’, though”, she observed. He had stepped on her toes two or three times, and Byleth had stared at the floor to follow the movements most of the time, but she had gotten the impression that he had quite enjoyed their dance.

He flashed her his usual grin. “It’s all about adaption, Teach! My upbringing was somewhat … lacking in certain aspects, but I quickly figured out that it’s all about appearances. You know, as long as you seem confident about what you’re doing, nobody will look at you too closely. Speaking of confidence – you looked pretty confident during all those dances as well. One wouldn’t have been able to tell that you’re unaccustomed to the dancefloor.”

“I’ve never danced before, not a single step in my whole life.” Byleth shook her head in amusement. “It feels as if I had to make up for all the years of not dancing, and that in one single night! I think I danced with every student from every house.”

Claude’s grin broadened. “Consider yourself lucky that we’re only allowed one dance with each person. Although …” He took a quick step forward, suddenly standing right in front of Byleth. With a wink, he asked: “How about breaking the rules?” Byleth only watched him, eyebrows raised and waiting for him to continue. So he added: “Just a little bit, you know. I’d very much enjoy a second dance with you.” He shifted his position from one leg onto the other. There was something oddly vulnerable about this movement, and for a second Byleth thought to see the same vulnerability mirrored in Claude’s green eyes. But it was gone from one moment to the next, and he was grinning again.

“May I have this second dance?”

Byleth looked at his outstretched hand. While she did so, the faint music from the ballroom regained its strength und hung clear in the night, as if it wanted her to accept his offered hand.

“You’re hopeless”, she muttered fondly and took Claude’s hand.

“I know. But that’s part of my charm”, he laughed and pulled her closer. One hand settled on her waist, and they fell into an easy step together. Despite all those dances she had mastered that night already, Byleth didn’t feel like a proper dancer at all, and she was relieved that it was a rather slow waltz. She could follow its tunes without trouble, but she also got the impression that Claude moved a little slower than actually necessary to help her.

After a while, she felt comfortable enough with the steps to look up from her feet. When she raised her eyes, she noticed that Claude was watching her. She showed him a smile.

He answered it with a smile on his own, and Byleth stopped dead.

She was used to seeing a broad smile on his face – in fact, whenever she thought of him, it was with a grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. What he showed her now, however, was more than a façade – a rare one, a true one that brought a spark in his green eyes to life.

And now that spark vanished again because she was staring at him as if he had just grown a second head.

“Teach? Everything alright?”

“Ahem, yes. Yes, it is.” She was looking at her feet again, but forced herself to look up and meet his gaze. “I just noticed something.”

“And what fascinating observation did you make?” His voice was light, teasing. His smile didn’t reach his eyes; she could see a hint of wariness in them. The mild amusement on his face was quickly replaced by bafflement, however, when she answered.

“I just thought that I haven’t seen you with such an open, genuine smile before.”

Claude opened his mouth, but stayed silent. He looked almost offended about being caught off guard like that. Byleth couldn’t help laughing.

“You’re the one to talk, Teach! I think this is the first time I’ve heard you laugh genuinely.” He pouted. “And that although I tried so hard to make you laugh before. If I had known that it only takes one of those ostentatious noble dances and me making a straight face for once!” He chimed in her laughing; she could feel him shaking with mirth.

“How lucky that we aren’t in the ballroom. Can you imagine the lecture we’d receive from Seteth about ‘appropriate behaviour’?”

“Teach, now you’re joking as well? Honestly, you’ll be the end of me!” With a huff, Claude blew a stray strand of hair out of his forehead. The success was moderate, it immediately fell back into its usual place. “I’d rather be afraid of Hilda and her axe, though. This ball is a grand event to her, and I’m sure she would consider us giggling in the background … questionable. A big mood killer, you know.”

“Then it’s a good thing we came here.”

Byleth’s hand was still intertwined with Claude’s, and his other hand rested on her hip. She looked up at him. His face was flushed from laughing, and this time the spark in his eyes didn’t vanish while she watched him. They couldn’t hear the music anymore, yet they stayed.

“A good thing”, he repeated quietly, as if lost in thoughts. “Yes, it was a good thing indeed. I …”

A sudden laugh burst through the night, disrupting the quiet. Both Byleth and Claude were startled by it. They looked towards the staircase, half expecting another couple to appear any moment. Nobody entered, though, and the next time they heard a laugh the sound had grown more distant.

“I guess we should head back into the ballroom”, Claude remarked. “I bet everyone’s already looking for you.”

He let go of her and took a step back to perform a gallant bow. “Thank you for the second dance.” He rose again, keeping her gaze enthralled. “It means a lot to me.”

He turned towards the staircase, but wasn’t quick enough to hide his blush from Byleth’s sight. But then he stopped and faced her once more.

“Tell me, Teach – have you heard of the legend of the Goddess Tower?”

***

Claude found Byleth in the Goddess Tower.

She stood at the window, lost in thoughts while looking at the world below. The sight had him smile. It reminded him of their first meeting here, during the night of the ball all those years ago, when she had granted him a second dance. And then there was their second meeting in the Goddess Tower, of course – the day of the Millennium festival. In that night, he had looked up at the stars, praying for his dearest wish to come true, and at dawn she had appeared like a mirage.

“It’s good to see that some things never change”, he observed fondly.

“What do you mean?” Byleth turned towards him. “That we two meet up here, or that we’re both escaping again?”

“So back then you _were_ escaping after all – finally got you, Teach!” He raised his hands in mock defiance when she opened her mouth to protest. “Joking aside: It’s comforting to know that I can always find you here. At least during a ball.”

Byleth smiled at him, causing his stomach to do a little flip. Some things, on the other hand, had changed – and that was good as well. “Don’t call tonight’s feast a ‘ball’, though. You know that both Lorenz and Hilda have a very strong opinion about how a ball should be, and the little bit of food and drink down in the dining hall is definitely not enough to meet their standards.”

“Ouch, now you’re hurting my feelings. I put so much effort into organising this feast, and you call it ‘little bit of food and drink’.” Claude showed her a somewhat tired smile. “It’s a shame we can’t afford a grand ball, though. We have finally defeated the Empire, so we would have definitely earned it! But as long as those who slither in the dark are still out there … A little celebration will have to do for now. But soon, we’ll have a feast that will put all the feasts that were celebrated before to shame – an overdue Millennium Festival, so to speak.”

Byleth watched him, the expression on her face impossible to decipher. “The both of us did have a little feast on the day of the Millennium Festival, didn’t we?”

He laughed. “Crouched against my wyvern, with food from saddlebags, and, as the culmination, fighting bandits … yeah, that was definitely entertaining.”

She shrugged. “Some people say that fighting is like dancing.”

“Do they? You know what that means.” He took a step forward and offered her his hand. “We fought against those bandits – one fight. Thus, you owe me another fight against bandits. Or, alternatively, a dance. You know, the second one.”

Byleth stared at his outstretched hand, and he was reminded of the one time he had asked her for another second dance. It had been a mere fancy, but she had accepted back then. So why was he nervous now?

_Maybe it’s because I’ve realized how much she means to me by now._

“We don’t have music”, she eventually said, placing her hand in his nonetheless. It was small, compared to his. Gently he pulled her close, pressing her against his chest and resting a hand on her hip. Then he began to hum, a melody he remembered from his childhood and from dances around the fire. It was livelier than the songs the musicians had played at the ball, but still slow enough for Byleth to follow the foreign steps.

She looked up at him, trusting him to lead her through the dance instead of staring down at their feet. Byleth smiled as they moved through the moonlit chamber, and she looked beautiful; the moonlight covered her hair with silver and made her eyes shine.

For a while, Claude’s soft humming and the light tread of their feet were the only sound in the room. Eventually, however, Byleth broke the silence.

“I … I want to thank you.”

“I’m afraid you’re mistaken. You’re the one who granted me a second dance – again. I should be the one thanking you”, he replied light-heartedly.

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” A faint blush covered her cheeks, and a frown had appeared between her brows. They kept dancing, slower now and to an unheard melody. “I was thinking of the ball – how we met in the Goddess Tower, and how you told me that you’ve heard me laugh genuinely for the first time.” She paused, searching for the right words. “Smiling and laughing comes easier to me now, and more often as well, and I … I owe a lot of it to the Golden Deer. And to you.”

As if on cue, both of them came to a stop. They didn’t part, though; Byleth was still so close that Claude could feel her breath on his skin.

“Thank you, Claude.”

“You’re still mistaken, Byleth”, he replied quietly. “I also remember how you told me that you haven’t seen me with an open, genuine smile before.”

He felt that Byleth held her breath, then released it as she understood what he was trying to say. “I haven’t thought of this”, she admitted. She rested her head against his chest, now making him hold his breath. “It’s so natural to see you smile openly.”

“Thanks to you.” Claude placed both hands on her back, pulling her as close to him as possible. “I owe you more than I can ever put into words. Thank you, Byleth.”

She relaxed in his embrace, and wrapped her own arms around him. Claude lowered his head, taking in her scent and feeling the soft tickle of her tresses. While holding Byleth like this, he felt the weight of the delicate ring he carried in a pocket close to his chest, hidden and secure.

“Byleth?” he asked softly.

“Hm?” She barely tilted her head, stayed in his arms.

“When this is over … and we’ve finally defeated those who slither in the dark and ended this war … I wish to talk to you. Just the two of us.”

His heart was beating so fast he half expected Byleth to draw back, irritated by its noise. But she stayed. She didn’t ask what he wanted to tell her, nor did she point out that they were alone right now.

Byleth just said: “You know where you will find me.”

***

“Pray tell me, do I have to worry?”

Byleth turned away from the window, towards the staircase. She didn’t bother hiding her grin when she saw Claude’s face and the mock hurt on it.

“Do I have to worry”, he repeated while entering the small chamber in the Goddess Tower, “that you’re escaping from our very own wedding ball?”

“My dear husband”, she replied pointedly, watching giddily how the address brought a blush to his cheeks and a bright spark into his eyes, “I’m not escaping. I simply wanted to share a few moments alone with you, and I knew that you would find me here.”

“I guess we have been surrounded by people all day long indeed”, he mused and stepped next to her, looking out of the window. Any moment, the first stars would appear in the sky. “Although I have to admit I paid little attention to them since I saw you walking down the aisle.”

Byleth leaned against him, snuggling even closer as he wrapped an arm around her. Claude had looked rather star-struck indeed. Amongst members of the Church of Seiros, it was custom for the women to wear a white dress on their wedding day, but Byleth had decided against this tradition. With Hilda’s eager and relentless support, she had chosen a dress of midnight-blue fabric, and the busy hands of the Golden Deer girls had covered it with countless stars of silver thread, thus turning it into an image of the night sky Claude loved so much.

And right now he even ignored it to look at her instead.

Byleth turned red under his fond gaze. He looked very handsome as well, clad in gold, and his smile was bright like the sun.

“I love you”, she breathed and turned in his arms to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, felt the chain that kept her mother’s ring close to his heart beneath her fingers. Music, carried towards them by the breeze, surrounded them, just like it had all those years ago. This time it was cheerful and lively, tunes from Fódlan mixed with Almyran music.

At the sound of it, Claude drew back to look into her face. “Tell me”, he purred while moving a thumb across her cheek, “will you grant me the honour of a second dance?”

Byleth laughed. She had smiled and laughed all day long so that her face positively hurt, yet she just couldn’t stop. “But we’ve danced all day long already! I know, I know”, she admitted when he pouted, “we didn’t dance every single dance together. All the Golden Deer wanted to dance with us, after all, and I couldn’t decline Seteth or Alois. But I’ve lost count of all our ‘second dances’!”

“So …” He trailed a finger along her neck, following a stray curl. “Is that a ‘no’?”

Byleth offered him her hand. “Of course not.”

With sparkling eyes, Claude performed a deep bow in front of her. Instead of taking her hand, however, he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her off her feet. Byleth’s squeak turned into laughter as he turned around in circles to the lively tune with her in his arms.

“You’re making me all dizzy!” she protested half-heartedly, but still clung to him after he had set her down again. Breathless and smiling, they leaned against each other.

“Just how is it”, Claude eventually mumbled into her hair, “that our second dances always end with us _not_ dancing?”

“Because there are better things to do than dancing”, Byleth replied, grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss.


End file.
